Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Alphabet reports earnings. Google’s parent will likely take a hit from a $2.7 billion fine levied by EU antitrust regulators in June. The company is appealing the fine, but said it would include it in its second-quarter earnings. Alphabet may also break out revenue from YouTube for the first time.
Jared Kushner gets a double grilling. Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law will speak in a closed-door session to US Senate Intelligence Committee investigators (not under oath) today about his Russian connections. He’s in the hot seat on Tuesday as well, when he speaks to the House Intelligence Committee (paywall).
The UK’s trade negotiator visits the US. Liam Fox begins discussions with his American counterparts amid warnings from British businesses that the government’s enthusiasm to produce an agreement may give American companies the upper hand.
Over the weekend
The IMF downgraded the growth outlook for the US and the UK. The fund said that based on weaker activity in the first quarter of 2017, both countries’ economies will grow more slowly than previously forecast. Britain’s growth was revised down from 2% to 1.7%, the US down to 2.1% from 2.3%. The US forecast is based on its “less expansionary” fiscal policies, and uncertainty about policy changes in Washington.
Trump may agree to a new round of sanctions on Russia. The president is open to signing legislation that would enforce tougher sanctions on Russia, a White House official said, after congressional Democrats and Republicans agreed on a bill targeting Russia, Iran, and North Korea. However, Anthony Scaramucci, Trump’s new communications director, said the president hasn’t yet made a decision.
Ryanair flew high on summer bookings. Europe’s largest low-cost carrier reported a 55% jump in profit, to €397 million ($462 million) in the first quarter. Shares dropped as Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary warned of a coming fare war as well as flight disruptions between the UK and the EU in 2019 if Brexit negotiators don’t replace the current EU Open Skies agreement. The Irish airline submitted a non-binding bid for failing Italian airline Alitalia.
Poland’s president said he’ll veto the controversial judicial-reform law. President Andrzej Duda has refused to approve the new law that gives the government the power to fire Supreme Court judges and replace them with its own nominees. Polish people have protested the new legislation for the past week in massive street demonstrations.
Didi Chuxing and Softbank gave Grab $2 billion to battle Uber. Southeast Asia’s biggest ride hailing company expects to raise a total of $2.5 billion in this round of funding—which would make it the most valuable start up in the region, worth more than $6 billion. It will use the fresh funds to grow its payment platform and double down on competing for markets of over 600 million people.
A robot found Fukushima’s nuclear debris for the first time. An underwater robot captured what could be the first images of melted nuclear-fuel deposits at the nuclear plant since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to operator Tepco. The find could help the clean-up process and the eventual decommissioning of the plant.
Quartz obsession interlude
Corinne Purtill and Dan Kopf on the class dynamics of breastfeeding in the US. “Breast is best” has not always been the mantra of the upper classes in the US. While the cultural definition of the “best” food for babies has fluctuated over the last century between infant formula and breast milk, one thing has remained constant: The most socially desirable form of infant nutrition has been whichever is harder for poor parents to access.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Police body cameras are a failure. The problem of police brutality in the US requires more than video footage.
Playing ball with Chinese censors hasn’t helped LinkedIn. The company is one of a handful of Silicon Valley tech giants that are finding it harder and harder (paywall) to succeed in China.
The future of military robotics looks like Planet Earth II. Humans do not yet know how to replicate all the capabilities of animals like pigeons and cheetahs, but robot experts are trying.
Surprising discoveries
Mongolians can keep a secret. Genghis Khan’s tomb will never be found because he wanted it to stay hidden—and Mongolians respect that.
Japan has to force people to work from home. Authorities have declared July 24 “Telework Day” to make people more flexible about where and when they work, and as preparation for the 2020 Olympics, when trains are expected to be packed.
Pirates watched the new Game of Thrones episode 90 million times. That’s nearly six times as many as the official view count.
There’s a new garbage patch in the South Pacific. By one estimate, the debris covers an area some one-and-a-half-times the size of Texas.
Vaccines could soon be delivered without needles. Star Trek featured a needle-free device, a jet injector called a “hypospray.”
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